Cold Case Christmas

“What did your dad say?”

Rush unrolled his silverware, a grim expression. “I haven’t had time to talk to him.”

“You haven’t had time?” She stared at him dumbfounded.

Rush balled his fist on the table. “Anything he would know would have been put in the report, Nora. And I was a little busy last night taking care of you.”

Nora counted to ten. Rush had rescued and protected her. “Okay. But I still want you to talk to him. Or I can—”

“I’ll do it. I’ll do it.”

The server came and Rush ordered coffee and toast. Nora ordered pecan pancakes with vanilla syrup and a side of bacon. She ate when she was wound up. She shivered and scanned the room. No one looked suspicious, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.

When the server left the table, Rush continued. “Right now, I need you to be objective. Think back. Do you remember your parents ever fighting? Especially within a day or two of the ball?”

Nora shook her head and sipped her Irish breakfast tea with honey. “My parents never fought. I mean, if they did, then they kept it from me and Hailey. Plenty of space around here to raise voices and no one but the mountains to hear.” She leaned forward. “Why? Do you think my dad had anything to do with this? I mean, I know he hasn’t searched hard, but to murder my mom?”

“Whoa!” Rush put his hands up. “Don’t jump to conclusions and certainly not out loud where diners can hear. I never said that.” He scowled across the table.

“Well, you certainly implied it.”

He shifted in his seat. “I didn’t mean to. I’m saying if you could remember them arguing, you might remember some of the dialogue, which might be helpful.”

She couldn’t drum up one heated conversation. “Maybe he didn’t know she was having affairs.”

Rush gave her the get-real face. “Rumors flew through town. There’s no way he hadn’t heard them. Possibly approached her. A man was in that car at some point that night or around the event. Could be he caught her with him that night.”

And did what? “For not meaning to imply, you’re doing it again.”

Rush’s neck reddened. “We need to find the man who owns the cuff link and mask. He might have answers. We can get photos from the party.”

“Silver cuff links aren’t rare. And what if the wearer isn’t in the pictures?”

Rush tented his hands on the table. “I’d like them anyway.”

Nora nodded as the food arrived. They waited for the server to leave before going back into their discussion. “They’d be in a storage room near the offices. I can get them for you later today.”

They made small talk, dancing around the past.

“How’s Hailey?” Rush asked.

“I think she’s keeping a brave front for Dalton since he’s already going through a lot.” She added more syrup to her pancakes. “How’s your family?”

Rush’s jaw ticked. “Fine. Everyone’s coming in for the Christmas celebration.”

“Greer and Hollister?”

Rush’s eyes held surprise. “You remember them?”

“How could I forget?” She remembered all those summers with Rush, including the ones with his cousins.

His phone rang and he answered; a few minutes later he hung up. “I have to go. With this weather, all hands are on deck with traffic accidents and we have one on Route 5. Turned into a brawl. Let me pay for my breakfast.”

“Toast is twenty-two fifty.” She held in a giggle.

Rush paused, then grinned. She’d had a weak spot for that killer smile. Guess she hadn’t done enough strength training lately. It was making its mark.

“Don’t worry about it. Daddy would be fit to be tied if he knew you were paying for meals here.” She bit into her bacon. “I’ll bring the photos by the station in a couple of hours.”

“Be careful. Clearly the roads are treacherous, not to mention other dangers.”

“Will do.” She saluted him with the bacon but lost her appetite. Someone wasn’t going to be pleased when they found out she wasn’t giving up the quest for truth. She rubbed her cheek and shivered, then made her way down to the offices and storage rooms where they kept the predigitalized masquerade photos for marketing purposes. She flipped the light switch. The fluorescent lights flickered and hummed, only two lighting the dim room.

Using her cell phone flashlight, she crept into the room, highlighting the dates on cardboard boxes. Like something out of a TV show evidence facility. Dust sent her into a wave of sneezes. Halfway down the fourth aisle, she found the box. “Bingo.”

A noise came from behind. Mouse? Please be a mouse.

Hairs rose on her arms and neck. She turned as a masked man snatched the box of photos and shoved her to the ground.

No! Nora jumped up, adrenaline pumping. With all her might, she pushed until the metal row in front of her toppled and crashed onto the masked man, boxes spilling open as papers and photos littered the concrete floor.

Nora hurdled over the boxes and debris, hands shaking, and grabbed the box he’d dropped, then ran like the wind. With one hand, she dialed 911. The dispatcher answered. Menacing words and papers shuffled in the distance. Oh, no. “Tell Rush Buchanan to get to Pine Refuge Resort and Lodge.” The attacker was on her tail. “Basement. Storage room. Now! Right now! This is Nora...” The phone slipped from her shaking hands as she took a hard right. Could she make the elevator? No. Where? Where could she go?

Custodial closet. Down the next hall.

She gripped the box. The attacker gained on her. She ran hard enough her chin shook.

Five feet.

Four.

Two...

She flew into the room, closed the door and locked it. The attacker banged and pulled on the knob. Could he find a way in? Could she find a way out? A small rectangular window above was covered in snow. The box wouldn’t fit through it. She could escape and leave the photos, but if he got inside he’d have them, and obviously something in them incriminated someone or he wouldn’t want the box so badly.

Her phone was gone.

No way to communicate. She curled into a ball until the banging and twisting on the doorknob silenced. Was he gone? Was he waiting on her to open the door?

What could be in these photos? And how did the attacker know she’d be in the storage room?

Chills slithered across her spine.

She had been watched.

“Nora! Nora Beth!” Rush stormed down the hall. Millie at Dispatch had called him, and what should have been a ten-minute drive had taken him over twenty thanks to the road conditions that were worsening each hour. Rush’s heart pounded in his chest as he hunted for Nora. God, please keep her protected. He’d made his way to the storage room and taken in the disaster.

“Nora!”

He headed right, down another hall.

“Nora!”

“Rush. Rush!” The custodial closet door opened and Nora flew into his arms, gripping with all her might. “A man tried to steal the photos.” Her shoulders relaxed and she explained what happened.

Rush brushed a strand of blond hair from her face and tucked it safely behind her ear. His gaze locked on hers and he couldn’t quite make out what swam in her watery blue-greens—relief but something else.

“I was so scared I didn’t know what to do.”

“You did the right thing calling, then locking yourself in here.” More than ever they needed those photos. Rush needed to find all the Phantom of the Opera masked men. One of them had answers or could be the one trying to hurt Nora. “Let’s find your phone, get these and you somewhere safe.” He grabbed the box.

Troy wouldn’t want him exhausting his energy on this. As far as he was concerned, it was a closed case. He’d agreed with Rush that someone wasn’t happy about Nora turning over rocks and they should be looking into that. But after two attacks and being followed, Rush wasn’t so sure it was all about a possible scandal. People had killed for less, though.

The only place he knew the photos would be safe was under his care, at his house. He wasn’t sure he wanted Nora there permeating it with her sweet cherry blossom scent and intensifying his loneliness when she left.

Rush led Nora to his vehicle and opened the door for her, then put the photos in the backseat. He hurried inside, cranked the heat and sighed. “You okay with going to my place?”

“Sure.” Her cheeks turned pink and she gazed out the window. “I heard you built a house on the mountain.”

“About four years ago. Still needs some work, but I’m only one man.”

“Who’s saved me twice. Thank you.” She rubbed her palms together.

Rush pointed all the vents toward her. “You’d think tourists would stop pouring in. This keeps up and flights won’t only be delayed, they’ll be canceled.”

“People pay good money to be here on the holidays. They don’t care about the weather. Sometimes I feel like I’m talking to nothing but the camera.”

Rush switched his wipers on to knock away the ice pelting the windshield. The rest of the ride was fairly quiet. He turned onto a long drive that cut up through a thick forest of evergreens. His two-story A-frame log cabin with a deck wrapped around the entire second story came into view. He loved having coffee out there and seeing the mountains for miles. It was peaceful and quiet.

And empty.

“Wow, Rush. I love how it’s covered in windows. So much natural light, and what a view from up here.” Nora gaped and took it all in. He felt that way every day.

He parked out front, grabbed the box and they went inside. Nora studied the cedar beams and walls. The kitchen was open to the living room. Leather furniture. Rugs for warmth on the knotty pine flooring.

“I love what you’ve done with it.” She frowned. “Where’s your Christmas tree?”

“I didn’t put one up this year.” One tree decorated for one man? Seemed silly.

She gasped. “Rush!”

“Did you put a tree up at your place in Knoxville?”

She collapsed on the couch. “No, but I haven’t put a tree up since Mom disappeared...died.” Tears leaked from her eyes, and she wiped them away with her sweater sleeves that hung over her fingertips. “You have no reason not to.”

“Neither do you,” he said delicately. “She wouldn’t have wanted you to stop loving and celebrating your favorite holiday. Besides you’re celebrating Christ’s birth.”

“Which doesn’t call for a tree.”

“You put up a nativity?”

“No. Make me some coffee and let’s go through photos.” She grinned and headed for the box on the kitchen counter.

“You’re bossy.”

“You ought to know.” She slid the lid off the box. “Hey, Rush?”

“Hmm...?” He opened a bin and took a K-Cup for the Keurig.

“Nothing.” Fear pulsed in her eyes. Whatever she was about to open up and say, she’d bit back.

“You can talk to me, you know. Like you used to.” Before her world crumbled and she closed herself off.

“It’s nothing.”

Frustration knotted his neck and shoulder muscles. He gave her a cup of coffee how she liked it, with cream and sugar, and started combing through photos. He searched for men in Phantom of the Opera masks. “Do you know where there might be other photos? Not every single person is going to turn up in this box.” Hundreds of people attended each Christmas. Several hundred of them local, and nearly three hundred tourists. This was a needle in a haystack job.

“Tourist center might have some put away. Locals probably have personal scrapbooks. What are we even looking for?” Nora asked, and thumbed through the photos.

“The mask in the car was a partial of the Phantom of the Opera. Look for men wearing that.” He left out the other reason it was important. How did one tell an ex-girlfriend he’d seen her mom kissing the Phantom? She’d been through so much already. “And someone with silver cuff links.”

“My dad wore cuff links but not like those.” She held up a photo. “Look, it’s you and Dan in those ridiculous masks with whisker-like things growing out of the sides.” She laughed, but he heard the bittersweet tone.

“Good times.” Rush couldn’t manage much more. That was the night his dream shattered. He found two photos of two different men in Phantom masks. One seemed like it might be Ward McKay. He owned McKay Construction and was divorced. Could Marilyn be the rift that caused it? “Did you ever hear talk about Ward McKay and your mom?”

Nora paused perusing. “I steered clear of talk if I could.”

“His wife moved away with their son. He might have been pretty mad over that even though it would have been his fault. Anger brings irrational behavior and thoughts sometimes.” He couldn’t believe he said that. He had no facts to support that theory. “I’m speculating and really I shouldn’t be.”

“No,” Nora said. “That makes sense.”

If Ward was the Phantom kissing Marilyn three months after he had separated from his wife, he might have wanted a more permanent relationship with Marilyn. If she rejected that, after he lost his family for her, that could have sent him over the edge. She might have been escaping him. Or something more sinister.

But they didn’t have proof that Marilyn’s car in the lake was intentional. And he was only speculating again. “If the car wreck was an accident, then all we’re doing is meddling in people’s lives to give you some comfort.” A lot of damage could be done. “Is that fair?”

Nora jutted her chin toward him and glared. “What if it was your mother?”

He didn’t know. Before his dad falsely accused a man of soliciting a prostitute, which ended up causing the man to commit suicide, he’d have said yes. But now? Now he wasn’t so sure he’d go around prying.

“We have to question Ward, Rush. Evidence or not. What’s he got to lose now?” Nora asked.

“If your mom’s death wasn’t an accident, then a lot.”

THREE

The winter storm had slacked off, leaving a foot of fresh powdered snow and temperatures in the low twenties. But it wasn’t keeping tourists and locals away from Main Street. Carolers dressed in Victorian clothing wassailed along singing inside the shops that were lit with candles and twinkling lights. Nora loved the candle store best with its cranberry, pine and cinnamon scents that wafted through the air. She’d be buying one of the candles when they got there. Small stations were set up for tourists to relax and revel with mulled cider or cocoa. With red noses and wrapped head to toe like mummies in winter garb and bags loading them down, people were having a ball.

Road crews had done a good job of clearing the roads and sidewalks. Nora and Hailey walked with Dalton, his lips coated in chocolate and whipped cream. Nora had missed so much of his growing up by only visiting once a year. She’d forgotten how much she loved these pre-Christmas festivities. They’d bumped into several people Nora had grown up with, and there had been no narrowed eyes or questions about Mom, but Nora couldn’t help but feel gawked at. Rush had been called away due to shoplifters, and being here in public, Nora didn’t think anyone would try something. She hoped anyway. She had her sister and Dalton with her.

“Nora, do you think you should push this?” Making a motion with her chin toward Dalton, Hailey let Nora know to talk in code so young ears didn’t hear.

“Don’t you want answers?”

“Yes, but not enough to bring on the extra trouble, if you know what I mean. Maybe we should move on. I don’t care to know about every single indiscretion, and quite frankly, I believe there were many.”

“But why? What was so bad in the marriage that would cause that?”

Hailey sighed and watched as Dalton jetted ahead, gawking in the taffy store. “People grow apart, Nora. They live in the same house, share the bills and running errands and after-school activities, but the spark dies.”

“I’m sorry about you and Nate.”

Hailey squeezed her hand but said nothing.

Nora had seen marriages that lasted. Burned bright all through the years. Rush’s parents for one. And her grandparents on Dad’s side. Mom had no family. No pictures. They’d burned in a house fire when Mom was young.

Hair rose on her neck and she scanned the area.

“So how are things with you and Rush?” Hailey asked.

Nora shook off the feeling of being watched again. “Fine. Good.” He was helping her look into a case. That’s it. Although sitting in his home, drinking coffee and reminiscing over old photos had shifted the place where she kept her feelings for him confined. “To be honest, I wish he’d be more aggressive on this investigation. He acts like he can’t question anyone until he has proof, but he can’t get proof without asking questions. It’s like people who need their first job but can’t get one without experience. How do you gain experience if you can’t get a job?”

Hailey snorted. “You’re babbling.”

“I suppose I am.” Rush frustrated her with his tippy-toeing around. She was beginning to think he was pacifying her with his promises to look into the past. He hadn’t done much of anything.

They stopped inside the candle shop and Nora bought an orange-cranberry candle. Outside, Nora spotted Candace Fick. “Hey, didn’t she and Mom have lunches every Thursday afternoon?”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean she knows any more than we do.”

Carolers crooned, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

“You never know. I’m gonna hop over and see if we can have a lunch of our own. I’ll be right back.”

Blue lights flashed in the distance. Looked like Rush’s Bronco inching its way up the road. Butterflies swam in her stomach. Oh, no. No. No. She was not going to let herself swoon over him. For many reasons. One, she wasn’t even staying in Splendor Pines. She was moving to Florida—hopefully.

Two, he’d cheated on Ainsley, and if he’d cheat on her what was to say he wouldn’t cheat on Nora someday? There was no guarantee. And worst-case scenario, what if the rumors about her mother were true? What if Nora had her genes? Because if she were being honest she’d have to admit that even if she had known Rush was dating Ainsley, it wouldn’t have stopped her from spending time with him, holding his hand, embracing him, cuddling on the couch or even kissing him.

She was pulled from the souring thought. Literally.

A meaty hand yanked her by the collar behind the shops, thrusting her up against the brick, her face scraping against the rough exterior. “I told you to back off!” he hissed, and cut off her scream with his thick gloved hand. She flailed and elbowed him in the chest, but his heavy coat must have taken most of the blow. It barely slowed him down. Adrenaline coursed through her veins; blood swooshed in her temples.

He yanked a strand of lights from the trim of the building and wound them around her throat, tightening them. She couldn’t breathe! She grabbed at them, the twinkling rainbow hot around her neck and flashing in her eyes. In the distance, carolers sang, “O Christmas Tree.” A serenade to her—Nora the human Christmas tree.

Help! Someone!

The cord dug into her neck, stinging. Her eyes watered and her throat swelled. Blood heated in her cheeks.

Using her foot, she back kicked him. She missed his groin and knocked his upper thigh. He cursed and thrust her to the ground, never releasing his grip on her throat with the lights.

Spots formed in front of her eyes.

The snow burned cold on her cheek.

He practically sat on her back as if he was roping a calf. She felt along the snow and found her bag with the candle.

“Nora?”

Rush!

The attacker released his grip enough for her to gulp a breath of air and wiggle around to use the candle as a weapon. She held the handles of the plastic bag and swung it like a bat against the side of his face; he groaned and jumped off her.

Rush moved in on him, but he scrambled and found his footing, racing ahead into the crowd. Rush radioed their location as he gave chase. She coughed and unwound the Christmas lights from her neck, breathing in the cold, fresh winter air.

Jogging, Rush came back to her and knelt. “Are you okay?”

No. But she had to show a sign of strength. “Just need to catch my breath.”

He tipped her chin, searched her eyes. “Nora, be honest.” Concern pulsed in his. “Talk to me.”

“I’m fine.” She hid her shaking hands. “How’d you find me?”

Rush blew a heavy sigh. “Hailey said you went to talk to Candace Fick, but Candace said she never saw you. I got a gut feeling. Went looking for you from point A to B.”

Nora rubbed the tender area on her neck. “Anyone tell you that you ought to be in law enforcement? Private Eye? Detective? Human Metal Detector?”

“I’m glad you can find the funny in this.”

Nothing about this was funny, but she didn’t want to admit she might have bitten off more than she could chew. Because she couldn’t back down regardless.

“That’s me. The funny girl.”

Rush pulled Nora to her feet. He brushed a gloved thumb across her cheek. “Nora, this is getting out of hand and I’m worried.”

Join the club. “I’ll be okay. I’ve got you around.” She tried to play it off lightheartedly but it fell flat.

“I’m not always around, though. If I hadn’t been just down the street...”

She’d be dead right now. With no answers. She didn’t want to think about it. “Candace might know where Mom was going that night or who had been with her. They were friends.”

“Why hasn’t she come forward, then?” Rush asked.

“I don’t know.” Nora picked up the bag with the candle inside, brushed snow from it.

Rush pointed to the sleigh rides. “Why don’t we take a break and hitch a ride back to the lodge.”

“Isn’t your Bronco still here?”

“Don’t want to go ‘dashing through the snow in a one-horse open sleigh’ with me?” Rush winked and slung his arm around Nora’s shoulders.

“As long as we don’t have to laugh all the way. My ribs won’t take it.” She ignored her heart’s warning to abandon his protective arms and charm and she leaned into him. Rumors were sure to abound.

Snuggled under a quilt with Nora on the sleigh ride had brought back so many memories. Rush had been smitten with her since he made fun of her pink sparkly tennis shoes in third grade and she shoved him down the hill on the playground. She’d been full of spunk and spice and still was. Normally, he’d appreciate that but it was fueling her need to keep pushing into the past. She didn’t trust him to do his job, and coupled with refusing to let her feelings out, it was utterly disappointing. Didn’t she see they were in this together?

Nora’s father stood on the steps of the chalet as the sleigh ride came to its end. Rush had texted him ten minutes earlier and filled him in on the newest attack.

He met Nora as she stepped out and drew her into his arms. “Nora, how many times am I going to have to beg you to stop this? It’s going to get you killed.”

She didn’t respond but pulled from his embrace.

Joshua’s nostrils flared, but underneath the anger was fear. Fear for his daughter. “I’ve given the family staying next to you an upgraded chalet. Rush, you take that one until you don’t need it anymore. I understand appearances.” He peered into Nora’s eyes. “But if you won’t come back to the main house and let me take care of you, then I’ll feel better knowing Rush is six feet away. But again, I wish you’d come up to the house and let Rush look into the attacks. If you stop digging, they might stop.”

Rush thought the same thing, but the killer may believe Nora found the incriminating photo. If so, he would be coming to silence her for it. Rush too.

Nora looked at her dad and then at Rush. “If the results come back that there is no foul play involved, I’ll consider it. But something bad happened that night. I know it.”

Rush believed it too. He didn’t think Nora would consider letting it go. He shook Joshua’s hand. “I appreciate the chalet. I’ll get my things later.”

They stood quietly, a bit awkward, then Joshua tightened his scarf. “I’ve got some work to do.” He left them on Nora’s porch.